Part 14 (1/2)

Again the Dalmatian broke forth.

”He say he got no knife at all. He cannot make hole like dat wit'

his finger.”

”Well, we shall see about that,” said the Sergeant. ”Now where is that other man?” He turned toward the corner. The corner was empty.

”Where has he gone?” said the Sergeant, peering through the crowd for a black-whiskered face.

The man was nowhere to be seen. The Sergeant was puzzled and angered. He lined the men up around the walls, but the man was not to be found. As each man uttered his name, there were always some to recognize and to corroborate the information. One man alone seemed a stranger to all in the company. He was clean shaven, but for a moustache with ends turned up in military manner, and with an appearance of higher intelligence than the average Galician.

”Ask him his name,” said the Sergeant.

The man replied volubly, and Jacob interpreted.

”His name, Rudolph Polkoff, Polak man. Stranger, come to dis town soon. Know no man here. Some man bring him here to dance.”

The Sergeant kept his keen eye fastened on the man while he talked.

”Well, he looks like a smart one. Come here,” he said, beckoning the stranger forward into the better light.

The man came and stood with his back to Rosenblatt.

”Hold up your hands.”

The man stared blankly. Jacob interpreted. He hesitated a moment, then held up his hands above his head. The Sergeant turned him about.

”You will not be having any weepons on you?” said the Sergeant, searching his pockets. ”h.e.l.lo! What's this?” He pulled out the false beard.

The same instant there was a gasping cry from Rosenblatt. All turned in his direction. Into his dim eyes and pallid face suddenly sprang life; fear and hate struggling to find expression in the look he fixed upon the stranger. With a tremendous effort he raised his hand, and pointing to the stranger with a long, dirty finger, he gasped, ”Arrest--he murder--” and fell back again unconscious.

Even as he spoke there was a quick movement. The lantern was dashed to the ground, the room plunged into darkness and before the Sergeant knew what had happened, the stranger had shaken himself free from his grasp, torn open the door and fled.

With a mighty oath, the Sergeant was after him, but the darkness and the crowd interfered with his progress, and by the time he had reached the door, the man had completely vanished. At the door stood Murchuk with the ambulance.

”See a man run out here?” demanded the Sergeant.

”You bet! He run like buck deer.”

”Why didn't you stop him?” cried the Sergeant.

”Stop him!” replied the astonished Murchuk, ”would you stop a mad crazy bull? No, no, not me.”

”Get that man inside to the hospital then. He won't hurt you,”

exclaimed the Sergeant in wrathful contempt. ”I'll catch that man if I have to arrest every Galician in this city!”

It was an unspeakable humiliation to the Sergeant, but with such vigour did he act, that before the morning dawned, he had every exit from the city by rail and by trail under surveillance, and before a week was past, by adopting the very simple policy of arresting every foreigner who attempted to leave the town, he had secured his man.

It was a notable arrest. From all the evidence, it seemed that the prisoner was a most dangerous criminal. The princ.i.p.al source of evidence, however, was Rosenblatt, whose deposition was taken down by the Sergeant and the doctor.

The man, it appeared, was known by many names, Koval, Kolowski, Polkoff and others, but his real name was Michael Kalmar. He was a determined and desperate Nihilist, was wanted for many crimes by the Russian police, and had spent some years as a convict in Siberia where, if justice had its due, he would be at the present time. He had cast off his wife and children, whom he had s.h.i.+pped to Canada.